Chapter 163: 8-19-2 Sixty Seconds II

Giogi cont.

All of the knights had left us squires behind with the dead, and we shared a dubious look at the bodies. Well, most of us did this was not the first battle for the two oldest, both were fifteen -three years older than me.

“Well, stop staring at them; it’s gross, but they won’t bite.” One of them, Peter, issued an order. After glancing at each other the seven of us got to work while the two oldest looked on.

A second later, they joined us. There weren’t many bodies, but we were still short of being called men so it took two of us to properly move each one. That meant it would take a bit of time, a couple of minutes. That said, there were only nine of us; an odd number, and the other squires all left me alone.

Figures.

Among my lot, I was the lowest born, a mere villager. Peter and Damuel, the two oldest, were both sons of knights themselves, well the others were at least the sons of wealthy commoners. And of course none of them knew about my past history with our queen, not that I’d told them. They wouldn’t believe it even if I did.

“Urgh!” I strained at the body, they at least had the courtesy to leave the lithe catkin for me.

I know moving unconscious bodies is hard but…

Something wasn’t right. This was the same cat Sir Justin had checked, but something was…

“Fuck!” I exclaimed and jumped away from the body; she wasn’t dead!

My reaction saved my life, as her dagger swung harmlessly past my face. She sprang up, and her black tail twitched behind her in an irritated manner. I could feel a bead of sweat dripping down my back. I’d known… when Sir Justin had offered me his spare sword, I might have to use it, but…

“...Like…”

Felicity.

She cocked her head, “You’re quick, I’ll give you that. But aren’t you a bit young…?” Despite her words she did not lower her weapon. Looking at her stance… There were no openings. The other squires finally reacted, by falling back and away from her warily. But nobody ran; we were training to be knights after all.

Peter kept his eyes on her while dropping down low and scooping up a cudgel from one of the deceased, “You should have kept playing dead, cat.”

She shrugged, “Why? At least this way I can take a few of you humans with me.”

The way she practically spat the word… No, we’d all known this going in. There was definitely bad blood here. Following Peter’s lead all the rest began arming themselves. Nobody went for the smaller knives and daggers, instead opting for the larger and cruder weaponry. More cudgels, axes, a short spear. My peers were taking the situation seriously despite the numbers advantage; they would have the advantage of reach.

Then, why are my hands shaking?

I alone had a proper weapon but it remained strapped at my back, the sheath hidden under my shirt. It had yet to enter my hands; I hadn’t drawn it.

I’m… A knight, or training, but…

The catkin shrugged and tossed the dagger up in the air, deftly catching it in a reverse grip. She fixed her eyes on Peter, “You’re the only one who’s had time for your fur to dry. Well, do your best.”

In one motion, she dropped to all fours, then sprang at him. Going airborne in battle would normally be a death sentence; you sacrifice all maunoverability in favor of direct speed. But for her, it was different. As Peter swung his cudgel the catgirl twisted and contorted her body. She tucked out of the path of his swing, then popped open like a Combustion Fruit. Bearing her dagger at Peter, she flicked it back around to stab at him, then placed her free hand on the hilt.

Peter tried to block the attack, but her momentum was too much. His cudgel shattered, and the dagger slipped between his fourth and fifth ribs. He died instantly.

“Fucking animal!” One of the other squires cried out and charged.

“I should say the same to you. Or maybe, monster?” Her tone had changed. It was no longer the engaging manner of her opening. No, now she was cold and dry.

A single step, and a quick slash, and a fountain of red liquid poured from the charging boy. He died less instantly, but it was still quick.

“At least be grateful I’ve more a heart than your kind.” She looked around and sighed, “And just like that, you’ve all given up… Well, I suppose if you can stay away until the knights come back, you might survive.”

She darted forward then, and killed Damuel just as quickly as the two before. He didn’t even have time to react.

…Why?...

Why were none of my… Well, they weren’t my friends. Why were none of my peers reacting? Only Peter had really tried to stop her. For Damuel and Greer, it was almost as if.

As if they can’t see her…?

That was dumb; of course they could see her. Even now, the remaining five of them were all watching her every movement, backing away from her. But then she attacked one of them, leaping forward at him and going for his throat. After she was already nearly there, he finally started to dodge, but she merely adjusted the angle of her swing. I winced, as another fountain of red erupted.

They can’t follow her attacks.

How long had it been, since the knights had left? A minute? Two? Not long enough. At this rate, she would kill all of them, and then probably manage to stab a knight in the back.

Kill all of them…?

Why did I exclude myself? My hands stopped shaking, and I felt the soft touch of a girl’s hand on my wrist, guiding my arm. I reached up and gripped the hilt of the sword Sir Justin had offered me, and drew it with a “Shing!”

The catkin looked over her shoulder at the sound and her eyes narrowed, “Well, I was going to save you for last, but if you insist…” She turned to face me.

I looked at the blade, seeing my face reflected in the polished metal. Stahlia’s words echoed in my head, spoken years ago but still fresh.

“Alright. I said I would teach you all to fight, but I don’t know how myself.”

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Sir Justin had maintained the blade well. If I touched it, I’d probably cut myself from only the slightest pressure.

“Sword fighting… Is something knights do. I only know how to kill. If I teach you, you have to promise, swear on your lives that you will never tell a soul the name of my style. I… I learned it from someone special, and it is a very big secret.”

I dropped the sword. It spun thrice in the air before landing point first and sinking into the wooden deck of the ship. Calmly, as my hands were no longer shaking, I walked over to one of the dead bodies and picked up a knife.

Facing the catgirl, I nodded to reassure myself, “I swear. My name is Giogi, I’m just a village boy from a tiny village… I don’t really have anything against you or your people… In fact, I actually know a black-tailed catkin quiet well; her name is Felicity; our Queen thinks of her as something like a sister… But, you won’t believe me, and I’m not going to die here.”

The catgirl was watching me cautiously, measuring me as I fell into the opening stance of the [Shadowblade Style].

“...I was wrong. That first boy, he had barely started to dry his tail…” She eyed my colleagues, “I suppose the rest of you will live.”

With that admission of defeat, she leapt at me. For my part, I waited for the last possible moment before ducking under her and stepping forward. Unlike with Peter, she wasn’t able to adjust her strike and hit me. Without looking, I stabbed backward at an upward angle; I was rewarded with the feeling of a blade slicing flesh.

It’s like cutting an orc or a goblin…

I grit my teeth; the fact that hurting a person felt the same as hurting a monster… Was unsettling. There wasn’t time though; I had made a blind strike and she surely wasn’t dead.

“When you’re fighting a stronger opponent, it would be best to compensate with magic… but I do not think I can teach that well, so instead, never stop moving. Seek any advantage, always press the attack. If you go on the defensive, you lose.”

I followed the lessons Stahlia had literally beat into my child body and rolled. Behind me, there was a dull thud. When I sprang to my feet and spun around, I saw the catgirl had jammed her own dagger into the deck of the ship, becoming stuck.

My kidneys were there a moment ago…!

She was bleeding heavily from her thigh; my blind strike had hit an artery. Already, she was growing pale. I raised my blade one last time, but didn’t strike. She was dead regardless of what I did.

“...Your name? I, I don’t want to forget it.” The knowledge that the battle was won had caused my calm demeanor to regress, and I was once again shaking from fear.

Sorry, Stahlia, I’m not strong enough.

The catgirl’s eyes widened briefly and she let her hand fall limply off the dagger’s hilt, “...Boy, don’t get cocky; I could still take you with me.”

“I’m aware of the possibility.”

Her eyes were starting to lose their light, “..Shanti… My name is Shanti, Giogi… You have an excellent master, you fight well.”

I bowed my head, “Her Majesty Stahlia von Drakas und zu Ris taught me how to kill, not fight. But, yea she is excellent.”

Shanti’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly, “...Then, I pray you tell the truth, about this Felicity.”

Before I could respond, her head rolled back. A sudden infusion of energy and strength heralded that this victory had increased my purpose, but it felt hollow.

….Shanti. If it wasn’t for the sins of our fathers, you might not have felt the need to resort to this life. I won’t forget your name.

“I will kill people. I have killed people. But, I will always have a reason, and I will never forget.”

I wasn’t sure Stahlia had even realized I’d been in the room when she said that; we had been growing more and more distant since arriving in the capital. By the time her engagement to His Highness was announced, my own feelings had cooled. Now, instead of romance, my feelings toward Stahlia were those of admiration. She was an impossible standard, but one I would constantly strive to live up to.

I raised my head and clenched my fists.

I need to become stronger.

Looking down at Shanti’s body, I made that vow. Except, it wasn’t just Shanti. Standing over her was a tall figure in a dark cloak. He regarded her for a moment, then stared at the bulkhead of the ship. No, through the bulkhead, toward our own ships.

“So much death. Rulebreaker, if it were up to me…” He stopped speaking, and slowly turned his head to face me before tilting it.

I gulped; his face was horrible. Empty eye sockets, a long beak-like protrusion, and skin the color of bone. It was a visage I was well aware of.

“...Boy, you can see me? What…” He frowned, and I got the impression that I was being closely studied, “Ah. That makes sense then. Well, I suppose the announcement has not yet been made. I wonder, how will that horrid child react when she finds out…? Maybe she’ll kill herself for me, wouldn’t that be nice?”

I got the distinct impression that he was pleased by whatever it was he’d seen within me.

“Well, the future will be as it may. Thanks to that petulant child, I have too much work for the reapers to handle on their own; au revoir Giogi, Champion of Spring.” Chuckling unsettlingly to himself, Mortis departed the hull of the ship by walking right through the bulkhead.

I fell to my knees, grateful to the stale salty air of the hold for masking the smell of my piss. Raising my hands to my face, I clenched and unclenched them.

What, what in all the hells was that!? Why was the eleventh god here, why did he know my name!?

No, I knew why; he had said it. A cold chill crept down my spine.

Champion, of Spring…?

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